No rest for an actor during the holidays

"Actors are like colors on a canvas, while the painter is the director who tries to express his ideas through art."

So declared Wang Gongliang, 30, an actor who has been living in Beijing since he became a student at the Beijing Film Academy.

In the beginning, he was just curious about the film industry and hoped to enjoy the attention and the camera lights. He learned acting skills at BFA and started to perform on television and in movies in 2009.

"Actors can experience different people's lives through acting, which is a very exciting job. This attracted me to the industry,"Wang said. "Gradually, after several years of working, I got to realize that as actors and actresses, we need to observe life closely and understand the scripts deeply to create a role about a 'real' person and express the message behind the story."

"It's not about being famous or being popular. It's a serious occupation that requires professional skills and lots of practice."

Wang just finished shooting a suspense movie in Chengdu, Sichuan province in the summer. This year, he has also finished another TV show named She &Her Perfect Husband in Shanghai during the first half of the year.

Even though he is not the lead actor in the movie, he said the role is an interesting one, and it gave him a lot of space for trying different acting techniques.

"I like to play two kinds of roles. One is playing the common man, one you do not even notice when he is in the crowd. It requires lots of skills to make him look real," Wang said. "The other type is the role that we can never have the chance to meet in our daily lives, such as murderers, victims and others that are struggling in life."

"Our government has done a great job in the area of COVID-19 control and prevention, which has helped us continue filming," he said. "It's helpful to the industry."

Unlike other jobs, Wang said he seldom gets a rest during the holidays including the National Day holiday, Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival.

"When a movie or a TV show starts shooting, we usually don't have days for leave even during holidays when most everyone is on vacation," he said. "But, I have no complaints at all. When I finish work for a project, I can stay at home or go travel for a relatively longer time which are several weeks or so."

For this National Day holiday, Wang will stay in Beijing, watch some movies and stage plays to learn more about the acting craft.

"I watch some movies I like for several times, such as Let The Bullets Fly which is the work of the Chinese director Jiang Wen in 2010. I have different feelings every time I watch it."

Wang also plays the guitar and listens to band music during his spare time.

"I enjoy the life that I have now. My job gives me a decent life. Meanwhile, I still can walk out on the street or go to a concert without attracting a lot of attention because I am not that popular,"Wang said.

"I am a common person doing a regular job, similar to everyone else who works hard in this city."